1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertical elongated chute and more particularly to improvement of or relating to a vertical elongated chute mounted on a ship to serve as safe means for allowing persons on the ship to escape therefrom by sliding down from the deck or the like of the ship to a platform floating on the surface of sea in the event of occurrence of such an emergency that they should leave the ship.
2. Prior Art
To facilitate understanding of the present invention it will be helpful that a typical conventional vertical elongated chute of the above-mentioned type will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
As shown in FIG. 1 which schematically illustrates the conventional vertical elongated chute as disclosd in U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,366, it essentially comprises a main body 1 adapted to vertically expand to any required configuration and a platform 2 disposed at the lower end of the main body 1 to float on the sea surface W. An inclined slip way 3 is extended in the area as defined between the main body 1 and the platform 2 whereby a person who slips down through the main body 1 safely stands on the platform 2 with the aid of the inclined slip way 3.
A case for accomodating the whole chute therein is provided at the top end of the main body 1. In the event of an occurrence of emergency an operator opens the case 4 and throw down the folded chute from the deck or the like of the ship S where the case 4 is positioned. As the operator throws down the chute, the main body 1 is expanded along the side wall of the ship S and an air chamber 5 of the platform 2 is then automatically filled with compressed air so that the platform 2 assumes the boat-shaped configuration as shown in FIG. 1. As is apparent for the drawing, the platform 2 is covered with a protective curtain 6 which extends between the lower end of the main body 1 and the periphery of the platform 2 in order to give safe feeling to the person who has reached the platform 2.
The main body 1 having the vertical sleeve-shaped configuration essentially comprises a protective layer 7 constituting the outer wall of the main body 1 and a column-shaped slip down passage body 8 coaxially accomodated in the protective layer 7.
As shown in FIG. 2 which illustrates the slip down passage 8 in the expanded state, it comprises a long base cloth 80 having a high intensity of strength and a zigzag passage cloth 81 placed on the base cloth 80. As is readily apparent from FIG. 3, the zigzag passage cloth 81 is fastened to the base cloth 80 by sewing or the like operation so as to constitute a slip down passage 83. Thus, the column-shaped slip down passage 8 is constituted by joining both the longitudinally extending side ends 82 to one another (see FIG. 4).
While a person slips down by way of the zigzag slip down passage 83 which is constituted by the combination of base cloth 80 and zigzag passage cloth 81, descending speed of the person is substantially reduced during zigzag movement through the zigzag slip down passage 83 whereby he is introduced into the inclined slip way 3 to safely reach the platform 2.
During descending movement of the person through the zigzag slip down passage 83 reduction of the descending speed is achieved by abutment of foot portion of the person 9 against the intermediate portion 830 of the zigzag slip down passage 83. At this moment the trunk portion of the person 9 is located at the bent part 831 of the zigzag slip down passage 831. This means that descending movement of the person 9 is carried out while he bends or twists his body in conformance to the geometrical configuration of the zigzag slip down passage 83.
However, due to the fact that the base cloth has less expansibility it is often found that exposed parts on the person are injured and glass or the like accessories carried by him are disengaged from him because of locally increased friction existent on the zigzag slip down passage 83. Further, since there is a fear of causing stoppage of descending movement of the person 9 at the bent part 831, it is necessary that persons 9 who leave the ship enter the chute one after another at a certain interval, resulting in quick reaching of persons to the platform 2 being achieved only with much difficulties.
Generally, a person 9 who leaves the ship puts on his life vest or jacket prior to descending by way of the zigzag slip down passage 83 but the life vest or jacket is usually made of electric insulative cloth. Further, both the base cloth 80 and the zigzag slip down passage cloth 81 are made of electric insulative material to constitute the zigzag slip down passage 83. For the reason static electricity is increasingly accumulated on the body of the person 9 during descending movement via the zigzag slip down passage 83. As is well known, electric discharging is effected radically when the person having thus accumulated static electricity comes in contact with some electric conductor, causing him to be subject to so-called electric shock. In some cases fine sparks are generated at that time. This leads to dangerous explosion when the ship carries inflammable liquid such as gasoline or the like.